The ongoing realignment of political blocs across Abia State appears to favour the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate for the 2023 elections, High Chief Ikechi Emenike. This is even as the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state is going through uncertainties occasioned by legal battles.
The PDP has in the last week witnessed a plethora of defections from its core voting blocs to other parties, a situation not helped by its lackluster governance performance in the state in the last 23 years.
Many in Abia State are excited by the prospects presented by the candidacy of Ikechi Emenike as a viable alternative they have been waiting for over a decade. Our Correspondent went around the major urban areas of Aba and Umuahia to sample the opinion of the people come 2023, and the majority did not waver in putting their faith in Ikechi Emenike to rescue Abia.
Speaking to our correspondent, Nze Canice Uwaoma, who deals in leather at Ariaria Market, said that “Abia has waited for so long for this opportunity, and I pray our people to do the right thing this time”,
“My brother, is this a place worthy of even pigs” he asked, pointing to the very horrible environment where they are carrying out their businesses daily.
For Madam Uche Aniogu, who runs a supermarket around the popular Ukwu Mango area of Aba, “we are tired of the PDP and their promise and fail tradition; imagine Aba that should be competing with Lagos but look around you, there is nothing to be proud of in this Enyimba City again. It is a pity that the PDP reduced a very promising state to this level; we must make that change happen, and I stand with Emenike irrespective of the party he belongs. All I want is to transform Abia.”
A similar sentiment was echoed by her retinue of salesgirls and neighbours, all pledging their support for Emenike.
When our correspondent visited the state capital Umuahia, the story was no different. A significant boost to the Emenike momentum is the recent reconciliation meeting which brought the feuding APC factions in the state under one umbrella, ending a dispute that has lasted for years.
Many Abians are now willing to support the candidacy of Ikechi Emenike because, according to some of those who spoke to TheEconomy online (theeconomyng.com), the reconciliation showed political sagacity on Emenike’s part and also the willingness of the protagonists to sacrifice personal interests to better the lot of Abians.
The two factions of the APC last month came together during a reconciliation meeting held in Ikwuano Local Government Area of the state. The reconciliation was announced in a communique read by a former speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Chief Martins Azubuike.
After the reconciliation meeting, the governorship candidate of the party, Chief Ikechi Emenike, reiterated his resolve to rescue the state from bad governance if elected the next governor of the state.
He said it would be shameful for Abia to remain in bondage considering efforts of the APC leaders to wrestle power politically from the PDP, which has under developed Abia State. He used the occasion to urge all aggrieved members of the party to shun their differences and work togther for the party to win the state.
Also speaking at the event, a former chairman of the party and leader of a faction of the party, Chief Donatus Nwankpa, said the reconciliation meeting was necessary because of the yearning for a change in the governance of the state.
He said, “We have gathered here today to apologize to Abians and ask for their forgiveness. But we want to assure them that we are back together now; today ends all factions of APC in Abia.
“We are here for a better future for our children and the unborn; we urge Abia electorates to vote for our candidate for us to bring the change they are asking for.”
The state chairman of the party, Chief Kingsley Ononogbu, expressed joy for being the party chairman who witnessed the coming together of the two factions of the party.
“I like what is happening at our party today because I’m a man of peace. I urge our members to take this message of peace home and begin to spread it in various wards and Local Governments. What we need is the majority of Abia people to vote for our candidate to win the election,” he said.